Wheel mounting



A. F. KUESTER WHEEL MOUNTING June '30, 1942.

Filed Oct. 3, 1940 Z'SheetS-Sheet l A t i v Inventor flu s? fi uesfer A tiorney June 30, 1942. A. F. KUEST-ER WHEEL MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 3, 1940 A Horn ey Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce WHEEL MOUNTDIG August F. Kuester, Clintonville, Wis.

Application October 3, 1940, Serial No. 359,589

2 Claims. (Cl. 280124) The primary object of this invention is the provision of mountings'which will provide for low center of gravity to the trailer with the wheels on each side thereof arranged in tandem fashion and located substantially intermediate the ends of the trailer frame, with means whereby each wheel of the pairs of wheels will be free to move vertically relative to the other wheels when encountering uneven surfaces and be checked from any lateral movement with respect N to the side of the trailer, the body frame and load of said trailer being cushioned against road shocks by the wheel mountings.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. I

For a, complete understanding of my invention,

reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating a tiltable type trailer equipped with wheel mountings constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section illustrating a wheel mounting with the wheels removed and showing its application to the frame of the trailer.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view, taken partly in section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 and showing the cushioning means for the wheel mounting on the trailer frame.

Figure 6 is a view in rear elevation showing the wear plates, spacer blocks and the pivot table also the walking beam and the cushion spring seat carried by the pivot plate.

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of the plate and spring seat.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a trailer especially designed for heavy loads and is of the tiltable type including side frame beams as at 5a. In order that the trailer be substantially supported on the roadway a pair of wheel mountings 6 are provided therefor and form the subject matter of the present invention. It is to be noted that the wheel mountings are so located with respect to the ends of the trailer frame, designated by the character 1, that the trailer can tilt forwardly .or rearwardly as desired for loading and unloading purposes. As each of the wheel mountings is identical in construction, reference specifically to one is thought sufficient.

Describing now one of the wheel mountings 6, said mounting comprises a pair of elongated guide plates la. opposed flatwise to the outer face of one of the side beams 5a in upright position and spaced apart with inner edges confronting. The guide plates la are spaced from said one side beam by a pair of relatively thinner wear plates 6a opposed flatwise against said outer face of the side beam 5abehind guide plates la, and by upper and lower pairs of spacer blocks 8 arranged intermediate the Wear plates 6a and guide plates la behind the upper and lower ends of the latter and offset in each pair in a separative direction from the confronting edges of said guide plates la for a purpose presently seen. Bolts lb secure the plates 1a, 6a and the blocks 8 to said side beams 5c. The wear plates 6d, guide plates la and spacer blocks 8 form horizontal guideways 8a intermediate the ends of the plates 6a, la. 1

A pivot plate H) is flush with the outer faces of the vertical guide plates Ta and is slidable therebetween and held against displacement when subjected to any strains tending to tilt said pivot plate. Cast on the rear face of the pivot plate [0 and projecting beyond opposite edges thereof is a pair of upper and lower guide members I l which slidably engage the rear faces of the guide plates la and the spacer blocks 8, also the wear plates 6a and provide a space therebetween for the accommodation of the walking beam 9.

An offset I2 is integral with the pivot plate l0 and forms a mounting for a sleeve type journal l3 to rotatably receive a trunnion [4 formed integrally with the walking beam 9 and located intermediate the ends of the latter. Suitable lubrication means l5 is carried by the offset [2 for furnishing lubrication to the trunnion and the sleeve journal I3.

A spring seat I6 is integral with the lower end of the pivot plate l0 and extends at right angles thereto and on which are mounted coil type cush- Axles l8 are formed on the walking beam adjacent the ends thereof on which vehicle wheels I9 of a conventional construction are journaled. Thus it will be seen that the wheels are arranged in tandem relation and are capable of moving vertically independently of each other due to the pivot of the walking beam and the cushion mounting of the walking beam on the frame of the vehicle.

It is preferable that the free ends of the walking beam be flared edgewise to enlarge the same, as shown at 20, and that said ends 20 are arranged to play behind vertically arranged guide plates 2| secured on the outer faces of the side beams a of the trailer. The guide plates 21I act to prevent any tendency of the ends .of the walking beam to swing laterally towards whom the side face of the side beams 5a, consequently-maintaining the wheels in perfact alignment onebebind the other under all conditions. 5

{I'he flared ends of the walking beam which contact the guide plates 2| may be lubricated in .anysuitable way andarranged at the upper ends of the guide plates la are shield plates 22 suitably secured on the vehicle frame. The character 25 merely indicates the fluid tubes of a hydraulic brake system for the brakes of the Wheels.

A reinforcing web 26 may be formed integrally with the outer face of the pivot plate I D ,and

the offset I2 thereof.

Wear plates 21 are arranged between the side beams 5a and the guide plates 2! and engage the ends 2!] of the walking beam. Also spacer blocks 21a are interposed between the guide plates 2| and the wear plates 21. Stops 28 are arranged on the trailer frame toprevent excessive pivotal movement of the walking beam should a tire of any one of the wheelsbecome 1. In a wheel mounting for a vehicle, a frame side beam, a pair of vertically disposed guide plates fixed to the outer face of said beam and having inner edges spaced apart and parallel and also spaced from said face, means spacing said plates from said face and forming together with said plates horizontal guideways between the ends of the plates, a pivot plate fitting between said edges of the pair of plates for vertical sliding movement and having upper and lower spaced guides fitting behind said edges of said plates to prevent outward movement of said pivot plate, said guides spacing said pivot plate from the outer face of said beam, spring means cushioning upward movement of the pivot plate, a walking beam pivoted intermediate its ends on said pivot plate behind the same for vertical oscillation in said space and in said horizontal guideways, and a pair of ground wheels journaled on opposite ends of said walking beam respectively.

=2. In'a wheel mounting for a vehicle, a frame side beam, a pair of vertically disposed guide plates fixed to the outer face of said beam and having inner edges spaced apart and parallel and also spaced from said face, means spacing said plates from said face andforming together with said plates horizontal guideways between the ends of the plates, a pivot plate fitting between from the outer face of saidbeam, spring means cush onin upwa d movement. o th pivot plate a walking beam pivoted intermediate is enelson said pivotplate behind the same for vertical oscillation in said space'and in said horizontal guideways, a pair of ground wheels journaled on opposite ends of said walking beam respectively, and a pair of stabilizing plates on said side beam overlapping the outer ends of the walking beam to prevent 1 lateral play of said ends, said ends of the walking Jbeam being, enlarged and flattened to provide adequate bearing surfaces engaging said stabilizing plates.

AUGUST. F. KUESTER. 

